The Naked Public Square: Religion and American Democracy

Abstract

In the 1980s, The Naked Public Square was one of the most frequently discussed books on American religion and politics. It will remain worth reading throughout the 1990s. Broadly speaking, Neuhaus' argument runs like this: Contrary to the dogmas of secular Enlightenment ... religion has neither withered away nor can it successfully be confined to the private spheres of (139). The new is evidence of the resurgence of potent religion, testifying to the collapse of the of (9). We are experiencing a cultural crisis, therefore, because the myths of secularism have been dominant in recent decades, tending to hide the factual reality of publicly potent religion. The rise of the religious new right brings with it many old, and some new, questions about the proper relationship between religion and politics. Those questions must be addressed with an attitude of caution about the limits of politics but with a genuine love for America. Christians have a responsibility to help shape our culture, including politics, but they must do so in a fully open, ecumenical way that promotes dialogue among those with differences of opinion. What we need is a new sacred to cover the public square, a canopy that promotes the kind of pluralism which recognizes the religiously grounded values of American public life. The book is a strong one in the sense that Neuhaus explores many facets of American life with persistence and thoroughness, providing keen insights into the character of American culture. Space does not allow for even a list of all the important topics he discusses. At the same time, however, the book is problematic with respect to some of the most important questions the author raises about the relation of religion to politics. I explore here some of those difficulties.